Dunleavy Hopeful About Roster Rules

The Clippers have rarely been interested in the NBA’s postseason guidelines, but they are now.

The team, poised to clinch its first Western Conference playoff berth in nine seasons, is eagerly awaiting word from the league office about roster rules.

If teams are permitted to change their 12-man active lists before each game, a practice started this season, the Clippers would be pleased because of Coach Mike Dunleavy’s focus on specific matchups.

The Clippers, however, acknowledged they would face difficult decisions if rosters had to be set at the beginning of each series.

“You don’t look past the first round, so you go accordingly,” Dunleavy said. “You’ve got to get through the first one first, so that’s the first order of business.

“Then what you have to do is look at matchups. You look at what the [opponents’] skill levels are, where you think your danger zones are, and you manage it.”

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The Denver Nuggets, who lead the Northwest Division, are expected to provide another tough test for the Clippers tonight at Staples Center.

“We just need to play the way we’re capable of playing,” forward Elton Brand said. “To be a good basketball team, an upper-echelon team, not just a team that wins some games and loses some games, we have to put it together. We have only 10 games left to do it, but we can do it.”

TONIGHT

vs. Denver, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 1150, 830.

Records -- Clippers 42-30, Nuggets 41-33.

Record vs. Nuggets -- 2-1.

Update -- The Nuggets lost to the Dallas Mavericks, 103-79, Sunday and have dropped three of four.